Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-03
CITY AND DISTRICT.
latin ATTHE HIGH SCHOOL AGAIN
sParsmt No. n, % "a. r. w.,

sParemt No. ~ 90 "a. r. NJ.
To the Edstor Of The Evrxrxo srAn:
In THE STAR OF the 21st "a p. NJ crfticizes my
criticism OF the translation OF English INTO Latin
imposed upon the pupils OF the High School and Of
che Roman" or phonetic methods OF pronounce
ing Latin adopted In that school He authorize
lively afirms that Am ''ofY the track" In my ar
gument But, % far as the pronunciation OF Latin
- implied, am certainly on q long-established
and main track which has successfully borne the
train OF the Latin classics through many genera
Sons OF English tongues viii not retort BY say
Ing that he and his learned professors are them
selves on the track or on a side track running 70
the ground but rather will reply that they are on
newly-invented elevated railway, the high steps
20 which The people at large can never climb.
briefly As possible, TO defend the position which
have taken on both branches OF the subject, py
ON faets and essons tne
Of the public whether "a p. NJ" Is or am right.
In respect 10 translatlng English into Latin in
bend the spirit OF my objections: and, paradoxical
as II may seem 20 him. my statement is or may be
ssws Tssa ieaeSsr viewed the
matter from an elevated stand point. He was
Undertaking 20 educate young men 70 hts own
Latin scholars OF the highest attainmentS In the
pursuit OF his purpose undoubtedly the practice OF
tssnslating English into Latin, al some stage OF
guidance. was very useful In obtaining complete
mastery OF the language. In our own country,
scholars have place and are needed for teachers;
and ali students who desire 70 pursue q course Of
extraordinary education. Or VINO may have 2 sPe.
uon Of their Years Of study TO this auxiliary means
IDENTIFY aver that this method OF study should be
served for graduate course, or one Of indl-
vidua training. Let US look at this subject In the
stances Even the college course In this country Is
mainly aimed TO acQuaint students with as much
OF the bess classical literature as can be read with
In the time which can be reasonably allotted TO IT,
therefore, n, as i before stated, this Is the true
and principal purpose OF studying Latin by col
legiate scholars,
since many pages OF the great Latin authors can
be translated In the time required for translating
. single page OF English into very poor Latin at
BEST: and certainly no one would contend that
course Of such reverse translation Is necessary 70
enable one 70 read the language understandingly
and with keen appreciation. In the academy and
High school still stronger the reasons for con-
Latin For, beside the stated reason that there is
always better use 10 the pupils OF the time in read
ING than In writing Latin and In other studies OF
ways formidable reason that the mere beginner
does not know enough OF Latin even 70 turn Eng
nsn into Latin words without ~ extreme Labor ana
struction Of the words is 70 him nearly Impossible.
Here therefore only is there loss OF time spent
injury done TO the mental faculties OF the pupils
We should be careful 70 not task the minds OF
children, especially during the period OF principal
growth, with much active mental reasoning The
proper educational exercises OF young children are
chiefly ami naturally those OF memory and the
Sass ssy at ans truth Wes told many MINIS
admitted % our High School fail In their frst
quarter, and are sent back because OF this wrong
method OF instruction which have condemned
Every purii bright enough TO be admitted to the
High school should and could continue In its
course under proper teaching. Yes, would repeat
emphasis.
As 10 PRosuS1ArIoN.
Upon the subject OF pronouncing Latin believe
the reasons for retaining the English method are
overwhelming, and that no otner method can be
advocated for any substantial reasons which can
TOR . moment stand beside them. did not falsely
accuse the teachrrs OF the High School OF invent
ing new and artificial pronunciation for Latin.
our corsSss whose influence IN moding our edu-
could reach, for "A. p Il should know that OI the
sspsssy liable err u the sa1s Of
the people; and he should also admit that the
authority Of all the great men Of the world on the
simple truth This Il a subject which all inteli-
gent people can readily understand, and on
heard A. i understand the reasoning Of
"a p. NJ he believes that, since the
study OF the last NIFTY years has decfphered, so to
speak, the real pronunciation OF the Romans
therefore, as o matter OF course, We must ought
70 pronounce the language In the same way. The
elusive IL Is now Impossible 70 ascertain posi-
lively what was the ancient Roman pronunciation
Of the language: IL Is perhaps probable that the
and that Is worth something IN historical sense.
But II We knew the real pronunciation with abso-
lutte certainty, why should we, therefore. pro
nounce it 80 now? There Is evidence that our own
language vas pronounced quite differently from
It's present pronunciation In the time OF SHAKES
Sd pronunciation and adopt il anew Il Is also
extremely probable that, had the Latin contin ued
living tongue down 10 the present time, the pro-
during the intervening ages what, then;
must tho old way be renewed? The first
nva OF the English method In this coun-
Try was one nearly the Italian, but erroneously
termed the continental method" since the other
nations OF Europe, as well as the English, have
according TO The principles Of It's own language.
And IL should he now c0ntended that another
method, As this -Roman" invention. ought to be
adopted by Us for the sake OF uniformity among
educated people Of all nations, say IL will be In
good time 70 do 50 when some authoritative inter-
It snail 50 decree. predict however. tnar IL M siS
be . long day before the general Italian will give
up his .Cheecheror and sveerjii," or spaniard his
s-6eeseror and 'yeerzheelr or German his .'TseeI-
sero' and "FeerghIl," with all the effort OF this
exnamed and galvanized Roman orthoepical
spoke" In the days OF Augustus
Let US come down TO plaln facts OF all the pupils
who study Latin at the High school, certainly very
rev VIII enter college or further pursue the study.
WHAT they Will learn, therefore, will be
mainly beneficial In enabling them 70 understand
Latin words and sentences found In books and
heard In daily speech, and TO gain knowledge OF
the words Of Latin deriy alton found In every line
OF the English language This, In iIself, will be
valuable: but IL must be obvious 10 all that for
this Use the English pronunciation OF Latin will
be not merely the best but almost necessary. This
one consideration might well conclude the discus
SION Besides, most persons who never study Latin
become acquainted with many Latih words watch
frequently occur In books and everyday winnings:
and 70 them no other pronunciation but one as
slnilated 70 the English can be available. Again,
SINCE the Latin language Is 50 com oletely inter-
woven with our own, the English pronunciation
Of the orig nal words the roots OF which are gen.
orally spelled In the En- dish derivatives without
change, cannot be unraveled from Il. It may be
that all our ctionaries and vocabuIartes
stu present. the English pronunciation only; and
even The Latin grammar used q textbook In
The High School, gives both the English and
"konan methods OF pronunciation without ex-
pressing preference Tor either, as recollect On
above, study Latin 70 q limited extent, ever have
occasion 10 re d or quote Latin In the preseLce OF
foreigners, who pronounce Latin according TO
other methods and md q difnculty In the knovI-
edge only OF their English method When any
one nnds himself so situated as 70 meet many
such persons or expects 10 travel abroad, It will
not require long study 10 acQuaint himself with
the additional method Of pronouncing the Ian
guaSe required for the occasion
There l., Al ne present time, strong current OF
opinion against the study OF Latin and Greek
even IN the college course such oiscarding OF